Does anyone know were i can find out information regarding laws for building car trailers, specifications of materials that sort of thing as i would think there would be. Builder are always saying how difficult it is to get a race car onto a trailer as we all know the problem is clearence underneath, i have got an idea/solution to this problem and might invest some time and money.
Your help is my first place to start.

Dave107

I simply used a caravan chassis with some tongue n groove on top.

Just build one and use it.

i found local caravan scrap yards give away trailers. i got a twin axel caravan chassis for free all i had to do is take home and remove the sides etc and some bits inside then put the lights on the back on a plate and build the runners then your done. total cost £55

as per coozers post.



[Edited on 10/6/10 by jossey]

AFAIK, there are no current C&U regs for this type of trailer.
But there is talk about WVTA being introduced soon and then you will need to submit trailers (all home built trailers) for a type of IVA test at a VOSA station, pay a test fee, fill in forms and get a recognised VIN number.

If you are building one for home use then the 'common sense' approach is considered acceptable. ie convert a caravan chassis. If you are building them to sell on then regardless of C&U regs, you should be designing and testing them to a certain level. Not sure if there are any 'advance copies' of what the new WVTA regs will be.

Thanks guys for quick replies, i was thinking more race teams or the guys with £100.000 - £200.000 classics who would not want to cut up a caravans.
Lol

From experience, the people with those sorts of cars don't have problems getting suitable trailers. There are plenty on the market. I presumed you meant for the lower end of the budget

£100 - £200 classics - they are the lower end of the market?

European Whole Vehicle Type Approval (ECWVTA)

Individual Vehicle Approval (IVA) Manual for Categories O1, O2, O3 and O4
(Trailers.)
Obligatory Approval certificates.


The IVA scheme is one of three routes for a new trailer to gain approval and thereby be legal for entry into service in UK. The other two routes
are: European Whole Vehicle Type Approval (ECWVTA), and National Small Series Type approval (NSSTA). Refer to the Road Vehicles
(Approval) Regulations 2008 (SI 2008 No. ****) for more information.
Trailer entry into service
New procedures for trailer entry into service will apply from 29 October 2012 for trailers built in a single stage and 29 October 2013 for trailers built in
more than one stage (multi-stage build). From these dates all new trailers will be required to hold a valid approval certificate under one of the three
approval schemes.
The procedures for trailer entry into service differ depending on whether the trailer concerned is subject to annual roadworthiness testing by the Vehicle
Operator Services Agency (VOSA). As a general guide, trailers are only subject to annual test if they are designed to carry goods, exceed 1020kg
unladen weight and exceed 3500kg laden weight. In addition all articulated semi-trailers (which impose at least 10% of their load onto the towing vehicle)
that are designed to carry goods, are subject to annual test.
Trailers subject to annual test
For trailers that are currently subject to annual test, the trailer will need to be notified to VOSA before it is first placed on the road and used,
and proof of a relevant approval certificate provided. (Although towing an unfinished trailer on the public road, to a place where the trailer
will be finished, will be permitted, as long as no goods are carried).
Trailers not subject to annual test
For trailers that are not subject to annual test, from the applicable dates there will be a legal obligation on the retailer to keep a record of all
the trailers that he has sold, which are sufficient to identify the trailer and which include details of the approval certificate.

Manual

[Edited on 10/6/10 by minitici]

Don't most in the market have beavertails or need ramps attached then you still scrape the bottom of the car, lower budgets not necessary, good quality bespoke trailers easy to load manual or remote control will not damage bottom or rip front of car off do you think there is a market for something different.





Comments please

Thanks Minitici

That's the sort of thing i wanted a good starting point that will give some good reading, together with going through the IVA manual while i am building my car.

Dave

Assuming its just a basic thing to carry your locoster then just build one and forget the regs. Best thing is to make sure it has brakes, so a caravan gives all these things in the correct place. Mine drove like a dream and I could feel the brakes working, pulling the car back when I slowed.

There's thousands of home made jobs out there and there's no way of telling when they where built or anyway they can control it.

[Edited on 10/6/10 by coozer]

Ignoring the regs is not good advice. The introduction of SVA and IVA for cars was, in my opinion a GOOD thing. The regulation of trailers is too. I have seen some horrendous trailers that have been so bad I have pulled off the road so I am no longer following them.

The regs don't even come into effect for another 2 years min anyway. So regardless of what the regs say, if you build a good trailer using common sense then it should meet the regs in the future anyway.

But the comment you said earlier, that beaver tales or ramps scrape the bottom of the cars. Well thats true in some respect. But there are some points you are missing. If the rear end of a trailer is designed to suit a saloon car and then sold on to someone using a Single Seater with lower ground clearance, does that mean the trailer was badly designed? No, it means the new owner has not made the necessary changes.

Also, look in the back of most race car trailers, theres a pile of wooden blocks and planks. These are very cheap, easy and versatile ways of making the ramps and trailer suit the car. I have personally used these on Multi million pound cars going into very expensive trailers.

And you can't always guarantee the ground level behind the trailer, so this is when the leveling blocks and planks come in useful.

Not wanting to knock your ideas, I'm sure you have a good solution. But is your solution cheaper than 4 bits of wood?

[Edited on 10/6/10 by balidey]

[Edited on 10/6/10 by balidey]

Balidey

I agree with many thing you have said, what i am thinking of is the height does not matter the bed is moveable.

the biggest restriction to height is the axles under the beds with conventional suspension, and if its not under the the trailer ends up prohibitively wide.

The best route is long ramps, stands at the back if necessary so you can raise the nose of the trailer and take out the bump completely.

To get round the ground Clearance when i made my trailer i mad it tip, to do this just make the A frame hinge in front of the axle
and lock at the front of the trailer bed
To help the bed tip use a winch over a post with a pulley on the top.
The post has to be fixed to the A frame
Jacko

[Edited on 10/6/10 by jacko]

Thanks everyone for your contributions i have a lot to be getting on with and to read up on will probable be coming back with more questions soon.

Thanks again.

Dave

quote:

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Originally posted by dave107
Don't most in the market have beavertails or need ramps attached then you still scrape the bottom of the car,

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